Mail distributing machine



Sept. l5, 1931. A. lELFlELD MAIL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 19'. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 bm. KR.

Sept. 15, 1931. A, lELFn-:LD y 1,823,741

MAIL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 19, 1927 5 'Smets-sheet 2 A. IELFIELD MAIL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE sept. 15, 1931.

Filed Nov. 19, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 MRW y kh

Sept. 15, 1931. A. IELFIELD MAIL' DISTRIBUTING MACHINE s snets-sheet 4 Filed Nov. 19

Sept. l5, 1931. A. lr-:LFIELD MAIL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 19, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 PatentedSePt-il 1.93.1 i, i 41V I .l i i 1 L i i AUGUST intijniin'cr srnvnn lnew romnssiencn rofiniirrrirnrosrni; .6 sUrPLY co., rito., orroisnsrviiiiin,iinwrrcn-ir cn-roniirrioiror nnwvonir ,-"IviArii ynisfrassortite ifincilzinn" Y Application filed November 15,1927, Serial No. iiflle..Y This invention relates tov ainachinefor dis-r abling such distributors tobe installed and tribnting mail matter or thelilre', and more maintained in smaller post oiiices.

particularly to a machine orselectively disi .in the accompanying drawings: y tribnting lettersv or other mail matter by me- 1 Figure 1 is a side elevation of the mail disgw chanical means into dierent receptacles ac- .tributing machine.4 Figure EZis a top plan `55 cording to the destination of such mail view thereof. i Figui-e3 is an end view therematter. Mail matter is now distributed by ci from the keyboard end of the machine. hand and the lprincipal..purpose ot'this inven- Figure Llis a vertical transverse sectionitaken tion is to produce a machine by which the disn von* line lf-4,l Fig. 1.v i FigureV 5 is a vertical :10'l tribution can be effected more expeditiously, 'transverse section taken on line 5 5, Fig. ..50

v Figure 6 is arhorizontal section taken on Another object of this inventionis to p'ro- 'le {Ji-f6, Fig.. 1f, looking upwardly. Fig-V vide a machine whichwill reliably convey urea? is an enlarged fragmentary. top pla-n each letter to its proper vreceptacle as deter- Ven7V O'f' the letielS-llg Ql feeding" meehe-V conveniently and economically.

in which the letter is conveyed rapidly vvto `.its course. .Figure 8de e regmentary view simiproper"receptacle,therebyavoiding thedanlerzto Figi? .aidSllGWlllghe letter paSSIlg 95er of its being conveyed tof an improperrei one oi the primary gates and'intoone of the cc'ntacle in the event that the operator should Yeleill WLyS-.r Figue 9 lS il` Vertical frag- 20 strike a second hey immediately after 5 the melely"lOlgU-lllal SeClOl .taken 011' lne- 70 letteris started on its path. This rapidity of 9&9, Flg. 3; ltlgure 10 is a horizontal secnioveinent in thepresent` machine'is effected *51011 teken 011 lme 10,-10, Fig. 9.. Flguie y1l bvcansing-eacli pieceoi'. mailtotra-versebut 1S e fegllelltey PeSPeCl'Ve kVleWV 0f .the tim irectilineareaths.and by mantainngthe mechanism Controlling the prmaryand Sec-y f 25 letterin a'sngle vvertical position throughout vondary gates. Figure 12 is aragmenta-ry 75 En; @01u-ge, thym 'fhQmaC-hne, y f transverse; section throngh'one seto control- A i'in'tner' aim is. to provide `ama-il distrib- 11123 tende` fShOWlllg/ lndeted linee the posiutinginachine whichcontainsalarge number 'ODO he parte Whellelle O the." IOdS 1S ci: reccptaclegthereby permitting of ya detllled 't0 Open 011e 0f the plmaly and sec- -T30 tailed assortment ofthe mail-according to the @Hilary geee. Figure 13 is a vertical irene 80 several destinationsthereof. and permitting, Vee Seetell teken' OIl line ltr-13,. Figz 1. in one operation', a tine divisionlot the mail Flgule 141e a fragmentaryperspeCtlVe VleW 'matten Y f n showing the .mechanism whereby only one `Another aim is to provide such a machine gefiel' 1S feg t0 the Cilllflel". upon depressing in which the mail is routed by positively actthe keygueg 15 and 16 efe/ hOllZOntal 85 ing means to deliver each piece of mail to its SGCQBS taenyon the flfeslondmgly' num' proper receptacle.y and inwvliich the-passage 131er lines on Flg- ,lOOllgL downwardly ind ot the piece to an improper receptacle is pcsi-4 allowing the Pos1 ODO he letter feedmg tively prevented.

mechanism before depressing a key. Figures Y .17 and 18 are views similar to Fivures 15 an L' .1; I A stll further obliect is to provide means b do for controlling' the movement of each pieceot l1e respectively but showing the position mail nrtte*1 which is'entirelvmechanical the of; the .parts-afm? a key has been' depressed' e e j "L ff l r i L f and a letter is beingfed to the carr1er.wli`ig W bng actuated bl the keys 19 isV a iffiewusiinilarkto Figures ,15 and Ul @e {E} 00:11@- 1L and showing tnepositien of the partsat -95 Still further oblectsa l0 'P1' Onde. Such the inish oi the Yfeeding`l of a letter and the a machine which is relativelyicompactj-confeeding mechanism about to be renderedjnsic-lering-the 'function whichit performs,y and Operative so that only one letter is -fed. v ii 4which'the controlling mechanism isof simf Similar reference numerals referito the mined by the operation of alreyboaid, and lellld SllOWlg theletteI'fStal'ted 011 ite e5 1 rle 'and inexpensiveconstruction, thereby ensamepart in each of the several views.,` ico In its general organization this invention comprises a rack adapted to support a Vstack of mail matter, a continuously driven her1- Zontal belt forming a primary conveyer, a

i The supply-'or 3 Y by the end Jframe bar 22.

5 Ykeyboard actuated mechanism for feeding one letter at a time to the conveyer belt, a series of primary or main gates arranged on opposite sides-of the path of the letter carried by said belt and each being operable to deiiect theletter into one of a series "of vertical chutes or secondary conveyers, a series of receptacles arranged along said chutes and each having a secondary or auxiliary gate adapted to dedzect the letter Vfrom the chute 5 into Vthe receptacle, and means controlled through the depression ofthe several vkeys or" the keyboard whereby corresponding primary and secondary gates are opened to cause the letterto pass into its proper receptacle.

The main frame of the machine as illustrated consists of a plurality of base bars 2O Aarranged in rectangular form, four columns 2l rising from the corners of the base, upper horizontal frame bars 22 secured to the ends or" the columns, an upper central longitudinal bar 23 extending between the upper `cross bars 22, a lower central longitudinal ar 24 extending between the cross bars'20 of the f base,-an intermediate cross bar 25 extend- 0 ingbetween the columns v2l atopposite ends V"of the frame,- and an intermediate central l"longitudinal bar 26 extending between the intermediatec'rc-ss bars 25. A f

pileV of letters 27 is sup- 5 lported on an inclined'feed table 28 which preferablycomprises a frame 29 and a plu- 4Yrality of longitudinal supporting rods 30.

y This table is bolted at its lower front end to 'a' bracket 3l which vbracket projects out- 0 kwa'rdlyfrom the upper end cross bar 22 and `on its upper side this bracket carries an abutment-32 against which the pile of letters is fpressed.' If desired, a follower (not shown) Y may be employed t'opress the letters against 5 this abutment. To enable the operator to -read the addresses on the letters as they are successively presented tothe abutment, a large window 33 is provided in the abutment. 'It will be understood Athat the letters, cards 0 or the like are first cancelled and in this op- 1V eration are all faced to be in proper order for the distributing machine.

The letters are successively fed from the lowermost end of thestack of letters to a vconveyer belt 34 which passes around pulleys 35,36, at opposite ends of the machine, the i opposite stretches thereof being arranged on opposite sides of the upper central'longitudil nal bar- 23, vas best shown in Fig. 9. This Vcarrier belt is continuously driven at a relativelyv high rate of speed and Vfor this purpose `the pulley 35 is keyed to a drive'shaft 3,7 which-is journaled inbeari'ngs 38 carried A driven pulley 39 6.5 Vis mounted on the rear end of this Vshaft and is connected by a lbelt 40'with a driving upper Y v'vertical partition walls 55 extending pulley 4l mounted on the shaft of an electric motor 42. This motor is suitably supported on a bracketv 43 projecting from the adjacent column or standard 2l.

The letter is fed to the upper stretch of the belt and is rapidly conveyedV thereby toward the opposite end of the sorting machine.

Along each side oi' the path of the letter on l the conveying belt and carried by the upper longitudinal central bar 23 are arranged a series of primary or main gates 44 each of which is mounted on a vertical pintle 46 and the outer end thereof is adapted to be swung into the path of the letterand deflect the letter laterallyV from the belt. Each oi these gates is ,preferably composed of two pieces of sheet metal secured together at their outer ends and secured at opposite sides of the pintle at their inner ends, thereby forming a gate which is wedge-shaped in cross section to secure the uninterrupted deflection of the letter when the gate is opened. To prevent interference with the mail matter when the gates are closed, guide plates are arranged longitudinally between these gates and the rearends of these guide pla-tes are bent' inwardly to prevent theletter on the belt from coming in contact with the outer edge of the gate. If none of the gates are opened, the letter passes 'the full length of Y the upper strech 'of he belt and is discharged into a dea-d letter box which is Supported at the rear end of the machine.

Each of the primary or main gates delects the letter intoa vertical conveyeror chute 47 provided in a box 48. Each of theseboxes is composed of side panels 49 and 5,0, a plurality of horizontal shelves 51 forming receptacles or compartments52,face panels 531 arranged to `form openings 54, whereby the mail can be removed from the compartments,

upwardly from the rear ends of each of the shelves, vertically swinging of the ycompartments and swinging into the chute 4'?, baflles 57 at the upper inner side of each box and a'rear wall 58 for the chute 4T. Ea'ch of the gates 56 is fixed to a horizontal shaft 59 which is arranged immediatelyl above the 'partitions 55 and the upper end of each gate is adapted to swing rearwardly to Aobstruct the chute and cause the falling letterv to be. deflected into this compartment.

To prevent the upper end oi each of the sec-.

ondary gates 56 from engaging the mail matter and possibly tearing the same or intertering with its deflection into the compartment, the rear wall 58 ofthe chute 47 is composed of'a series of metal sections 60 which are secured to cross bars 6l and are arranged in break joint yor staggered relation to forni downwardly facing shoulders below which vthe upper vedges of. the secondary gates 56Y are disposed when the gate 1s opened, as best gates 56 at the rear endsv C3 most rockl shaft,.thedepressed positionoflthe shown" in Fig. 24 .Each tbox 487, therefore,-

forms a section which can be removediarrdyre- .placed as unit thereby lfaoilitcatingthe aster, wiaicl-igis arranged y a'tzthe `lower end lof the stack; of letters 'on "the feed table orerack i-s :thereupon: fed to the-c,env-,ayerv :belt 34, is rapidly conveyed thereby until it strikes the open primary gate and isfdetlected into the chute 41277 falls down the ehutelfuntil it strikes he open secondary vga,tei-indie :deflected intoV .the

Kansas `compartment.` The-gates are their ,closed and the nextl letter routed to its prope f .destination By .opening different com-bina- V tions of primary Iand secondarygates, .a letter may be delivered into any oneof the compartments. In the machine illustrated ifty of Asuch compartments are provided in addi-.-

tion-to the deady letter :boX. Y

p The means for selectively controlling lthe movement Vof the :prima-ry and secondary Vgatesito selectively 'lethe letters is preferq .ably constructed as follows;

ywhich is supported by theeolumns 2l of the machine frame. In this-*keyboard 'frame' is mounted a supporting rodGwhichpivotally supports each of'ft-hefkey bars 65. Eachy of the keyjbars'includes a horizontal` part 66 which extends .tothe rear lend of the frame', and ya vertical part 1166v which supports the ments, i. e., fifty are providedin the'present instance .and are preferably -arranged in `banks and each is lettered to indicate the compartment whichit controls. A

The rear end of each key bar is connected by a link 69 with arearwardly eXtend- A ingrock arm 68 of ya rock shaft 70. The rock shafts are therefore fifty in number and are supported in slots-7l provided in brackets 72 which brackets are mounted on the upper side of the intermediate longitudinalcentral o' These rock shafts are. also preferably arranged. in groups, each bar 26 :of the frame.

group controlling thesecondary gates of a particular box.

Figure ll illustrates one setor group ofi rock shafts and akey secured-to the upper- Below vthe gfeedingrmechanism akeyboard o 62 A1s arrangedand includes a metal frame 63 A In the machine illustrated,` Yten boxes, each having five compartments are provided, and the`brackets72 therefore each,

leach iofjth'e` rock :shafts 70 is bent .tol form la fsecond'r-ock 73twhich extendsalong one .iside 4of `its corresponding box 48g The horivzon-tal shafts '59 onzwhich the secondarygates y56 arefixede'ach eX-tendthrough one panel :'50 fof VJthe EboX 48, and to the projectingend thereof a rock lever .74 is secured insuchman- Viierthat upon rocking the 4rock lever Mythe VVshaft 59 is turned :to swing the gate '56 into and out of the chute 47. Each of these rock levers .'7lfis connected by a shipper bar 75 v 'zwiththe end offone of the rock arms 73 and it ltherefore follows that when a particular they 67 isf'lrepressed, 'the corresponding roc-k Ashaft 70 will be turned, its rock arm 7 3 will ,be `-1elevated,y theV shipper bar '7 5 associated :therewith shifted-vertically and the rock lever K 74 turnedto moveqthecorrespondingrgate 56 to its open position; Upon releasing the key, these partsare returned Ito their Anormal position :by a spr-ing; 7 6 which is secured at one end to the rock lever 7 4' and atiits other end A "to adjacent partof `the Ypanel 50. Inasmuch as the yrock shafts 0 are arranged central-lyo-f the-machinathe shipper -bars 75 are of differentlengths, and those controlling the Each time any one of the secondary Vgates ik tend' upwardly: and those below these rock"95 isi opened.l it is necessary,j-of course, to openu the pri-mary gate la whichv deflects the'letter iiito'the box with which the particular sec.-

qondary Ygate associated, and for this purpnosethe operation of any one vof the group of ,rock shafts effects the *opening ofthe companion primarygate through a mechanism whichV is preferably constructed as follows: key 67 at its .upper end. `Thenumber of i -k'eys corresponds `to :the number of compartl'lheapintle d6 to which each primary or f main gate-445 is Isecured extends downwardly .and 1s Aj, ournaled atits lower end-in a bearing, 77 .which bearing is integral with a bracket 78 mounted von the central longitudinalv bar 26. Thisbracket'is also former to provide stanchions 79 which rise from the bracket on opposite sides' of the rock shafts 70 and form bearings fora longitudinally extendingfr tappet rodSO. At its rear end this tappet rod is'bent laterally to form; a tappet arm 81 and this arm engages a laterally projecting pin y 82 lona collar 83 whichcollar is suitably se-l cured to the pintle of the main gate 44. At its rear end this taprnet'rod 80 extends over the rock arms 73 of the group of rock shafts wi-th'which it 1s associated and is formed to provide anr outwardly projecting wing 84 which extends beyondthe ends of each of the" rock levers 7 3 Vand is raised by` the'upward l movement of any of them. yBy this means the upward movement of any of the rock le-A vers's'inlopening .a secondary ori auxiliary v gate"y causes' the wing Salto be Y engaged and lifted, thereby rocking the tappet rodk 80, moving the tappet arin 81 and tappet pin 82 tomove the gate into the path of the letter todeflect it intofits proper chute. In order to elevate thawing 84 a definite distance each time that the rock armsV 73 are raised, the

shipperbars 75 which extend downwardly from therock arms 73 are extended upwardly beyond these rock arms toV engage the Wing and on those rock'arins 73 from which the in Figs. 11 and 12.

and the downwardl* eXtendinOr ship er rods .Y e i 7 5 are in horizontal alinement so that'iaising any one'of them to open the auxiliary gates causes a predetermined p .i'novernentr of the wing 84 and consequently of the main or primary gate`44. Any suitable spring means r 3d `tion ofthe control system illustrated in Fig.

' hleans arefprovided'for feeding the lowermost letter to the Ycarrier belt 34 upon the depression of any one of the keys or the dead letterbar 86, which means operates to feedy Yone letter and thenreturns to its normal inoperative position preparatory to the depres- ."sionA of the next key in routing the next suc- `ceeding letter. This feeding meansbestilflustrated in Figs.- 1,'12, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 14-19, and

is preferably constructed as follows Y @n the frontend of the continuouslyopeluted-shaft 37 isa friction driving pinion 87 provi ded with peripheral elastic driving surr`face which engages the upper face of a horizental gear 88. This gear is provided with [elastic driving surfaces on its upper and perip ieral lfaces and is adjustably supported from the frame by an arm 89, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 6. To yieldingly hold the friction gear 38 in engagement with the pinion 37, a spring 90 is preferably interposed between the gear 38 and its supporting arm 89. This friction gear 88 in turn engages and drives aY friction pinion`91 as shown in Fig. 6, which pinion 91 is fastened to a vertical shaft'92.

This shaft-92 is journaled in the bracket 31 and at itsupper end carries and drives an elastic surfaced friction roller`93v which is vadapted to engage the letter fed to it. The

letter' is fed between this roller 93 and an idler 94. this idler ,being,preferably carried by a.

" horizonte lli/swinging arm and being yieldingly held against the roller 93 by a spring 96.

i It therefore follows that whentheletter is fed betweenthe lroller 93 and `its idler 94,

the samey is engaged and shotontd the conveyer belt. inwardly, and thereby Yrotating the pintle 46 Y To effect the initial movement of the lowerfinostletter from the stack'on the feed table, ainechanism isprovided which is preferably constructed as follows:

A friction pinion 97 is suitably mounted on thebracket'31 and engages the periphery of .tne tat-ed. Asbest shown in1FigsJ6 and 14, an

l arm 98 is .mountedby a bolt 99 to the under side of they bracket 31-and the outer end of this armis movable toward and from the pinion97. A sleeve 100 is carried at the outer end of the swinging arm-98 and journals a verticalv shaft 101 at the lower end of which shaft is fixed a friction pinion 102 which is engageable with the continuously driven friction pinion 97. At its upper endthis shaft carries a feeding wheel 103 which has a facing of rubber or the like andis engageable with the lowermost letter in the stack through the window 33 in the abutment 32. y `When the arm 98 is moved inwardly, the friction pinion 102 engages the'V driving friction pinion 97, andv therebyrotates the shaft 101 and the feeding wheel 103, and-at the same time the feeding wheel is brought in contact with the face of the lowermost letter in the stack so that the ers'93 and 94.A A' spring 104 between the arm z -98 and the `bracket, 31: tends to hold the feedr ing wheel 103 against theletter; andto hold the wheelY normally away'ffrom the letter, a

cam 105 having a salient portion is fixed to the shaft 101 and engages a block 106 which is mountedl on the bracket. When the salient portion of the cam 105 engages the block 106,

1 the-arm 98 andl feeding wheel 103 are held away fromthe stack 'of yletters and lconsequently nofeeding ofthe same occurs; lVhen,

however, the cam is turned, the receding portion' thereof engages the block and the feedi ing wheel is moved by the spring 104 toward the stack of. letters to feedk the lowermostwhich are pivoted at their rear ends to the' inner sidesof the key boardrfraine and at their outer ends carry a cross bar 108 which extends under the front ends ofthe key bars 65 and is depressed each timea key is depressed. One

of the arms 107V is pivotally connected to a shipper bar 109 which entends upwardly and -bar 110 extendsupwardly and laterallyin Y rearfof the swinging shaft 101 carriedby the :swinging arm. 98,.V spring 112 between the pinion 91gand` .is thereby continuously roico lll)

CTI

. letters.

Lcshapejd bar-11Qand the bracket 31. normally holds this L-shaped bar rearwardly and also holds; the Cross har 108-and the front ends ofthe key herein an elevated position-v y c immediately in. front. of theY l-p-Shapcd har 110, a ratchet wheel 113 is linedY to, they swinging .sha-ft lOl and has two. opnositely located ratchet teeth 114, 1.15 which face. opposite. to the direction of rotation of the lslnift and ratchet WheeL The ratchet `tooth 1,15 isengagged by a propelling dog 116 which is pivotally niountedat the outer end of the lli-.shaped bar 110 and is held ragainst the ratchet wheel 1 1?,A by a flat spring 11( which is secured to the rear side of the lia-shaped lever- 110 and engages the outer .Side of the dog 116.., -Assuining thesalient, portion ofthe ca -m to be engaging the block 106, as shown in Figs. 15, and 16, upondepressing any bar, the ero-ss bar 10SY is depressed, Aand the kL-shaped har is movedV forwardly by thel arm 107, and shipper bar 109. This causes the. pro.- pelling dog 116 Vengaging the tooth 115; to inove the ratchet wheel 113 and thereby cause the salient portionof the cam 105. to ride @if of the block 106, thereby permitting the swinging arm to swing inwardly and Cause its friction pinion 104 to, engage the 'continuously rotating friction driving pinion 97,-and also cause the letter feeding wheel 103; to, engage the lowermost letter` of the stack of letters on the feed table and thereby feed said letter toward the feeding rollers, 93, 94. The feeding of the roller 103i continues until the salient portion of the cam 105 rides up on the block 106 and again moves the arm 98. away from the driving pinion 97 and the stack of By this means only one revolution of the feeding wheel is made each time a key is depressed and only one letterfed to the machine, and it will also be observed that. the feeding of ay single letter is-independent of the length of time the operator holds a key in a f depressed positionl since the propelling dog 116 is notbrought. backinto a position to initiate the movement of the ratchet wheel 113 until the key is released. c To further insure against the retrograde movement of the ratchet wheel 113 and shaft 101 a holding dog 118 is pivotally mounted on the L-shaped arm 110 and engages the tooth 114.0n the ratchet wheel 113. This holding dog is held against the ratchet wheel by a spring 1,19."

`|The dead letter barv 86 arrangedat the lower end of the bank 'of keys is similar to the key bars except that it hasno operative connection with the gate control mechanism. yIt

bythe belt 34 and deposited inthe deadletter box at the other end of the machine- Operation i. The operation of the machinemay'besunlmai-ized as follows:

7 lThev elements which are continuously roto 'route thev-lowermostletter yin the stack to itsnproper. compartment, (seeA Figi 14)- the cross bai: 108` isdepressed,A the ship erl bar 109 drawn forwardly,and the L-shaped arm 110'is moved forwardly.- This movement causes the starting dog 116. to rotate the ratchet 113 forwardly therebyrotating the shaft 101 and causing the 'salient portion of the cam 105 to ride 0H of the'block 10G. rlhe spring 104 thereupon pulls the swinging aljll'l 98 rearwardly causes the friction piiiioiilQ o Y iiXed on the shaft'101 to engage tliecontinuously rotatino' friction pinion" -9'7 thereby turning the s vaft 101 and causing the'feedling Wheel 103 to turn.r Inthe operative position of thel arm 9.8, this feeding'wheel engages the face of the lowermost letter of the stack of letters and the letteris ktherefore shifted longitudinally and fed between the feeding krollers 93. and. 94' which project it onto the conveyorbelt 34. As soon as the shaft 101 00 andthecam,V ratchet wheel, 4friction inion and feeding wheelcarried thereby complete one revolution, the salient portionfof the cam 105 rides up on the block 106 moves the arm 98 forwardly into its inoperative or n ormal position. By this'means'V only one letter is fed when a key is depressed.

`The depression of the key 6'( (see Fig. 11) also causes the link 69 pivoted at the rear end thereof to be elevated thereby raising the rock.

arm 68j at the end of-the rock shaft 70 associated therewithv and also'the rock arm 7B at the other end of this rock shaft. The elevation of this last rock armi' raises the shipper bar 75 connected thereto, rotates thearm 74 on the secondary gate shaft 59 and causes`r the associated'secondarygate to be swung inwardly into the chute 47. the `same time,

the movementof the rock arms 73 4causes the wingA 8.4 to be raised, the tappet rod 80 andn tappet arm 81 to be rotated, which movement ofthe tappet arm 81 causes theinward movement ofthe pin 82 on` the main ,or primary gate pintle 46. ThisV pintle is thereby'rotated to Swing thc primary' gateile ecrossthe conveyerloclt 34; The letter-which was .fed onto the conveyer belt34 engages theopen primary gate 44, and is deiiected intethe chute47.

Falling down the chute 47, it. engages the open' secondary gate and is deflected intok its proper receptacle. Upon? releasing the lrey the return springsreturnthe parts to their normal positions preparatory to the reading and routing of the next succeeding letter in theV stack on the feed table. g n n It will be noted that in its movement along the'k primary conveyer or conveyer belt 34 and along the secondary conveyers or chutes e7, the letter is at all times retained in a vertical position, yand merelydeflected laterally by the primary andv secondary gates which serve to transfer it from the primary. conveyer to the secondary. conveyer and from the secondary .conveyer to the receptacles By this means `the movement of the letter-through the machine can be eife'ctedrapidly and expeditiouslytherebyenabling the distribution of letters as fast as the loperator is able to read the-addresses. y Y Y i` j Y As a whole the ma'cliine'embodying this inventionis comparatively simple in construcltion and operation considering the function V01 from the chute into the receptacle,the front4 which it performs, itis reliable and positive in' operation, it is compact, it is readily accessible for repairs or adjustments, it provides av large number of compartments thereby providing for a line division of the mail matter,

and it operates toquiclrly despatch a letter to its proper compartment thereby speeding' up the operation ofsorting and routing mail.

I claim as my invention:

l. Ina mail distributing machine, a 'conktinuously. movable horizontal belt having an upper vand av lower stretch, means for feeding ka 'letter ina vertical position to the-upper stretch of said belt, a plurality of guards ari ranged in spaced relation along opposite sides of the upper stretch of said belt and cooperating to maintain the vertical position of said letter, the rear ends of each of said guards Vpro] ecting inwardly over saidbelt, a plurality of primary ,gates arranged between f said guards and 'pivotally mounted to swing about end of each yof said primary gates being normallyarranged immediately inrear of the inwardly projectingA rear end of one of` said guards, and being movable to ran open position in Awhich its front end is arranged in rear of the inwardlyyprojecting. rear end of a Aguardjlonr the'oppcsite side ofthe belt, and.;

Y means for selectively actuating said gates to effect the .discharge of said letter anotherof `said receptacles. y

2.In a distributing machine, a frame including'alongitudinal central bar, a horizoninto one or talY conveyer belt the opposite stretches of f which are disposed along theinpperandlower sidesof said bar, means for'feeding an article :to the upper stretch of said `cenveyer belt,`

means vcarried bysaid bar for retaining -said article on saidfbelt, gates carried by said bar and movableto extend acrosssaid belt to defleet the article laterally therefrom, and. means for selectively'controlling the movement of said gates. f

3. In a distributing machine, av frame includ-ing a'longitudinal central bar, a horizontal Aconveyerlbelt the opposite stretches of which are disposed along the upper and lower sides of said bar, means for' feeding an article tothe upper stretch of said conveyer belt, a plurality of boxes removably mounted on said frame along opposite sides of said belt, each of said boxes beingconstructed to provide a vertical chute in its rear part and a tier of receptacles in its Vfront part, means for detiecing said article from vsaid belt into one or another of said chutes, means for deflecting. the article from lthe chute into one or another-of said receptacles,"and means for selectively actuatingsaid deflecting means.

4. In a distributing machine, feeding means, a. primary distributing mechanism, a pluralityof secondary distributing mecha- Y nisins associated with said primary distribuconveyer, a plurality ofsecondary conveyers, a pluralityl of primary gates adapted to deflectthe article from. said primary conveyer into said secondary conveyer, a plurality of receptacles, a secondary gate associated with each of. said receptacles and adapted to deflect said article from the secondary conveyer into said receptacle, means for selectively opening each of said secondary gates, and means actuated through motion derived from said secondary gate opening means for opening the associated primary gate. Y

6. In a distributing machine, a primary conveyer,.a plurality of secondary conveyers,

plurality iofreceptacles associated with each of said'secondary conveyers, primary .means for transferring the article from said primaryconveyer to said secondary conveyers, a secondary means associatedwith each 1 of said receptacles for transferring the article from thesecondary conveyers into said? receptacles, aroclrshaft operatively connected with each-of said secondary transfer means and actuating the saine, means for actuating the corresponding primary transfer means through motion derived from saidl rock shafts, and means for selectively actuating ,said rock shafts. y

7. In a dist 1ibuting machine, a primary conveyer,l a plurality of secondary convey-, ers, a plurality of receptacles associated with nass-,rm

each of said secondary conveyers, primary means for transferring the article from'said primary conveyer to said secondary conveyers, a secondary means associated with each of said receptacles for transferring the article from the secondary conveyers into said receptacles, a rock shaft operatively con-.

8. In a distributing machine, a horizontal' conveyer, at least one chute arranged adjacent said conveyer, a pint-le rotatably mounted adjacent the upper end ofsaid chute, a primary gate fixed to said pintle and adapted to be moved across said conveyer to deflect the article from said conveyer to said chute, a plurality of receptacles associated With said chute, a horizontal shaft adjacent each of said receptacles, a secondary gate n'xed to each of said shafts and movable'across said chute to deflect the article from said chute into the corresponding receptacle, an arm fixed to each `of said secondary gate shafts, a plurality of rock shafts, a pair of rock arms on each of said rock shafts, a shipper bar connecting Aeach of the rock arms at the corresponding ends of said rock shafts with one of the arms fixed to said secondary gate shafts, `a keyboard, a link connecting each key bar With one of the rock rarms at the other ends of said rock` shafts, spring means for holding said secondary gates in a normally closed position, and means for opening said primary gatev through motion derived from said iirst namedrock arms.

9. ln a distributing machine, a horizontal conveyer, at least one chute arranged adjacent said conveyor, a pintle rotatably mounted adjacent the upper end of said chute, a

primary gate fixed to said pintle and adapted to be moved across said conveyer to deflect the article from said coiiveyer to'said chute, a plurality of receptacles associated with said chute, a horizontal shaft adjacent each of said receptacles, a secondary gatev fixed to each of said shafts and movable across said chute to deflect the article from said chute into the corresponding receptacle, an arm fixed to each of said secondary gate shafts, a plurality of rock shafts, a pair of rock arms on each of said rock shafts, a shipper bar connecting each of the rock arms at the corresponding ends of said rock shafts With one of the arms fixed to said secondary gate shafts, a keyboard, a link connecting each key bar with one of the rock arms at the other ends of said rock shafts, spring means for holding said secondary gates in a normally closed position, and means for opening' said primary gate` through motion derived from said first named rock arms, comprising a tappet shaft, a wing at one end of said `tappet shaft and arranged in the' path of said irst named rock arms', a tappet arm on said tappet shaft and' a laterally projectpinv mounted on said pintle and adapted tobe' engaged and moved by said tappet l0.' ln vcoi'nbination with a mail distributingv machine, a feeding mechanism including aj feeding table adapted to support' a stack of letters, an abutment for said stack, continuously rotating driving Wheel, an arm 'piv-otally mount-ed to swing toward and from said stack, a shaft carried by' said arm, afeeding' Wheel fixed to said shaft, a pinion-fixed tosjaid shaft, saidfeedingwvheel being adapted to engage one-ofthe letters in said stack at the' same time `that said pinion engages said driving Wheel, means normally tending to hold said arm in an inoperative position, a keyboard, and means actuated through motionderived'from the key `bars `for moving said arm into operative posiion,

lhn rcombination `v'vith a mail distributing machine, a feeding mechanism including a `feeding table adapted to support a stack of letters, an abutme'ntfo'r said stack, a continuously VVViotiliting Y driving Wheel, an arm pivot'allyl mountedV to swing toward and `freni said stack, aV shaft carried by said arm, a feed-ing Wheel :fixed to s-aid shaft, a pinion fixed to said shaft,said feeding Wheel beiiigjadapted to engage one of the letters in rsaid 'stack at the 'same time that said pini'on engages said driving Wheel, means normally tending V'to hjold said arm in an inoperativepositiein a. keyboard, and means ac'- tuated through motiondei-ived from ,the key bars for moving said arm into operative postion, comprising a stationary block, a

cam fixed to said shaft and having a salient portion normally engaging said block and holding said arm in inoperative position, and means actuated by said key bars for effecting the release of said salient portion from said block.

12. In combination With a mail distribut' ing machine, a feeding mechanism including a feeding table adapted to lsupport a stack of letters, an abutment for said stack, a continuously rotating vdriving Wheel, an arm pivotally mounted to swing toward and from said stack, a shaft carried by said arm, a feeding Wheeliixed .to said shaft, a pinion fixed to said shaft, said feeding Wheel being adapted to engage one of the letters in said stack at the same time that said pinion eni gages said driving Wheel, means normally tending to'hold said arm in an inoperative position, a keyboard, and means actuated through motion derived from the key bars for moving said arm into operative positiong comprising a stationary block, a cam iXed to said shait and having a salientY portion normally engaging said block and Vholding said pinion and feeding Wheel out of erigagement with said driving Wheel and stack of letters, respectively, a ratchet Wheel iXed to said shaft, a dog engaging said ratchet .Wheel and `means yactuated by said key bars for moving said dog to turn said ratchet Wheel, whereby the salient portion of said cam is released Jtrom said block and said shaft is permit-tedto turn one revolution belfore the salient portion of said cam again engages said block and renders the feeding mechanism inoperative.

- k13.v ln a distributing machine, a horizontal conveyer, a plurality of chutes arranged on opposite sides of said conveyer, means for feeding an article to said conveyer, a

primary deflector associated With each chutev and adaptedV to be moved across said conveyer into the path of the article conveyed thereby to deflect said article into the corresponding chute, a plurality of compartments associated With each chute, a secondary deiiector associated with each compartment and adapted to be moved across its chute to deflect the article from said chute into said compartment and means for selectivelyactuating said delectors to deflect anarticle on said c-cnveyer into any desired compartment comprising movable members arranged between said chutes under said conveyer, means operatively connecting each of saidv members With a corresponding set of Jrimar and secondar deflectors a ke -A y Y a Y board at one end of said conveyer and means operatively connecting each of said members With a key of said keyboard.

In testimony whereof I hereby aiix my signature.

AUGUST IELFIELD. 

